March 8, 2016
Community Is Critical to Grade-Level Reading Success

By Denise Roberts, Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series sharing the values of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.

As we’ve shared previously, I CAN READ represents the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading’s vision for improving grade-level reading in our region. It begins with integrity. The “c” stands for community. Community means many different things to many different people. For us, it means interconnectedness.

We believe that everything is interconnected. We believe in creating a multi-sector collaborative that engages business, government, nonprofits, media, and, most importantly, PEOPLE, to create sustainable change. We connect in an environment of involvement, respect, and inclusion—an atmosphere where different ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives add richness, depth and are harnessed to create lasting value.

You can join this interconnected community by becoming a volunteer for the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. There are many volunteer opportunities and they are creative, fun, and rewarding.

Recently, volunteers have helped welcome children, parents, and principals to Circus Sarasota where winners of the inaugural Attendance Awareness Poster Contest were celebrated. Other volunteers have helped the Campaign connect to community at the Manatee County Fair and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

We need volunteers at the upcoming Sarasota County Fair and more opportunities become available every month. To learn about volunteer opportunities and connect with the Campaign, explore the volunteer section on our website, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The important task of helping all children read proficiently depends on a large interconnected community of organizations and people with great ideas and passions. If you are in that community, we embrace you. If you are just joining the community, welcome to a busy, important, enriching, and connected neighborhood.